Speaking of unity here’s a passage from a recent editorial in the Chicago Tribune:
What has become acceptable commentary and behavior — harassing political opponents at home and at restaurants, engaging militias at local protest marches and more — would have been considered unthinkable and obscene by most standards and norms not too long ago. We need a reset button.
No one will be in a tougher position than Biden to glue together what is possible, to navigate ideological splits in his own party and to convince Trump voters he is their president too. Ushering out Trump is the assured part. Dealing with deep divisions and distrust among the American people is the more formidable mission. The anger that led to violence at the Capitol will not disappear with the inauguration of a new president.
What can happen, we hope, is a meaningful lowering of arms in this nation’s culture wars and its politics. A renewed effort at finding common ground in the way previous administrations did it — the sweeping policy changes of government entitlement programs enacted by President Bill Clinton, then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich, a Democratic administration and a GOP-controlled Congress, for example.
Because what is clear is we cannot proceed further on this trajectory of political outrage and thrashing. Our safety and security as a country, and our sacred democratic traditions, depend on taking a smarter path.
I think that’s wishful thinking. With or without Donald Trump in the White House and in the spotlight I think that things will only get worse. It doesn’t take a majority or even a large plurality to cause enormous havoc—just a few people with the will to act out their outrage.
There is way too much media making way too much money by keeping people angry to think things will calm down. Social media is toxic and they egg each other on to commit violence. You are right that it doesn’t take many people to cause havoc. Out of the thousands on PA avenue the number who entered the grounds was much, much smaller.
The big difference I see is that for the last 4 years a lot of the drive towards the cultural ambience that leads to extremism has come from the very top. Dont see Biden doing that.
Steve
If Biden is going to shut down the boiling rage in the news media and public media, he will have to shut down the impeachment proceedings. If he lets it go forward, then we know we are in for four more years of hate, rage, and violence.
In any event, Trump and his family should flee the country, and seek political asylum somewhere.
And if you live in a city, any city, get to a rural refuge and hide out for a few months, or maybe forever.
This reminds me of the plot in “Fight Club” when Edward Norton’s character tries to defuse the violence but they don’t believe him and carry on anyway.
IOW, can anything out of Donald Trump’s mouth now defuse what’s coming as they believe he is under duress and look for subtle “tells” in his speech or behavior as encouragement of violence?
“ABC News also reported Monday that the FBI has issued an internal bulletin about plans for armed protests at the U.S. capitol and in all 50 states starting this week and lasting through Inauguration Day. According to ABC News, the bulletin also described information the FBI has received about “an identified armed group intending to travel to Washington, D.C.†and calling for the “storming†of various state, local and federal buildings if President Trump is removed from office before Jan. 20.
According to the Dec. 29 FBI report, some Minnesota-based followers of the boogaloo movement attended protests earlier in December at the state Capitol in Saint Paul “to perform reconnaissance to identify escape points and defensible positions in the event violence occurred†at the Jan. 17 rally. These individuals reportedly “scouted general law enforcement presence†at the earlier rallies and “also identified law enforcement sniper locations and considered breaking into federal buildings for use as firing locations, if fighting occurred.â€